Unwanted guest

[Cloudy51]

bought slightly used Mac, upgraded to High Sierra, took several frustrating days to realise the Guest was predominant and whenever I logged out all my work was deleted. Searched ways of deleting guest, of saving Home files, now can’t close down for fear of losing it all again. Be grateful for advice on how to regain control as administrator.

 

[hallux]

I suggest booting to Internet Recovery and wiping the drive to start from bare. On a previously-used computer, that is the surest way of making sure ONLY YOU have access to your system (short of replacing the storage device).

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314

I suggest opening Disk Utility once booted to Recovery and erasing the internal drive.

You may need to complete the High Sierra upgrade again after completing the reinstall.

 

[cruisin]

Go into settings, go to users, and disable guest account. You need to be in an actual account (not guest) to make this change.

Or wipe and reinstall as new, as with fast internet you should have a refreshed Mac after 1 hour or less and you avoid any problems the previous owner had (and avoid any dodgy apps left behind).

 

[Cloudy51]

I suggest booting to Internet Recovery and wiping the drive to start from bare. On a previously-used computer, that is the surest way of making sure ONLY YOU have access to your system (short of replacing the storage device).

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314

I suggest opening Disk Utility once booted to Recovery and erasing the internal drive.

You may need to complete the High Sierra upgrade again after completing the reinstall.

Thank you so much for those suggestions. Have sacrificed the work and preferences put in over several frustrating days, found the way to delete Guest and starting again. Feel much happier. Appreciate this forum for old dolls like me.